Jacology: St. Louis Public HS Metro Named One Of The Best In U.S.

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(KPLR) – In Wednesday's Jacology, Charles Jaco looks at St. Louis Public Schools and how they have the best high school in the state.

Mention the St. Louis City Public Schools and a lot of people roll their eyes. Well, roll this. The newest listing of the best public high schools in America is out. And the best high school in the state of Missouri is, wait for it, is metro academic and classical high school, a St. Louis public school.

Unlike most high schools, Metro Academic and Classical is a magnet school; a school designed to compete with the snootiest private college prep schools. Unlike most high schools, Metro Academic has an enrollment cap of around 290 students. Unlike most high schools, kids wanting to get into metro academic are tested and the top students get to enroll in a lottery to see who gets in.

In fact, two St. Louis city public high schools were judged to be among the top in the nation. The other is Carnahan School of the Future. Carnahan is also a college prep school. It's also self-selective. It also shows that some of the best and brightest minds that will build this nation's future, are in some of the poorest neighborhoods.

The problems of the city schools are part of the larger city's problems. Violence on the streets. Drugs in the neighborhoods. Gangs on the sidewalks and alleys. Dysfunctional families being forced to move every few months because they can't pay the rent. We've shown the city schools can succeed and succeed wildly with its best students. The trick now, is reaching the rest.